The head of a farmer action group campaigning for restructuring in the meat industry says the move to develop a strategy for the sector is encouraging.
The Meat Industry Association and Beef and Lamb New Zealand have announced a joint plan last week to develop a five- to 10-year strategy to lift the much-criticised sector's performance.
Meat Industry Action Group chairman John Gregan sees it as a positive development after the failure of efforts to consolidate the industry two years ago.
He says there's more urgency than ever to change the structure of the industry, given falling lamb numbers.
John Gregan says while he's moved out of sheep and beef farming into dairying, there's strong support for keeping the farmer action group going, and he's expecting a meeting in a couple of weeks to decide its future.
